Picture Books
July 2025

Recent Releases
George & Lenny Are Always Together
by Jon Agee

Anxious brown bear George and curious gray rabbit Lenny are BFFs who do everything together. So what will happen when Lenny wants to try a bit of solitude? This sweet and simple story offers expressive art to explore a timeless question about friendship. Read-alikes: I Am Going! by Mo Willems; Days with Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel.
New Shoes for Leo
by Lauren Agra Deedy

William's Mami and Tia Ana are packing food, medicine and clothing to mail to family in Cuba and William helps by finding shoes to send to Cousin Leon, in a story about a tight-knit family and love for family left behind. 
Where the Deer Slip Through
by Katey Howes; illustrated by Beth Krommes

From sunrise to nightfall, various wild animals visit a woodland farmyard. Each creature is portrayed distinctly in rhyming words packed with alliteration and onomatopoeia, and kids can follow each delicious detail in the delicate, meticulous scratchboard-and-watercolor art by Caldecott Medalist Beth Krommes.
Echo
by Adam Rex

Everyone always agrees with Junior, including the mysterious voice from across the valley. 'Junior is the greatest in the world!' he shouts. 'Junior is the greatest in the world!' the echo shouts back. Until one day, a new girl moves in next door. A disagreeable, rude girl who doesn't think Junior is right all the time. Unable to stand living next door to someone like that, Junior runs to the valley to meet his echo. But when being around someone who agrees with him all the time is less fun than he imagines, Junior must decide if a new friend is worth admitting he was wrong.
A Scrub in the Tub
by Jan Thomas

With help from his friends, a smelly pig discovers the perks of getting clean.
Retro Reads
Check out these awesome books from the not-so-distant past.
 
I'm Afraid, Said the Leaf
by Danielle Daniel; illustrated by Matt James

Through the observations of one curious child, young readers (or listeners) can join in the appreciation of nature's interconnectedness, from the leaves supported by the tree to the creek that cools off the overheated bear. Inventive perspectives in the artwork heighten the quiet yet thought-provoking tone of this picture book. Read-alike: Monique Gray Smith's You Hold Me Up.
Do You Even Know Me?
by Reem Faruqi; illustrated by Ani Bushry

Adorable cartoon illustrations underscore the kid appeal of this story about Salma, a kindhearted Muslim American girl, and Luke, a bullying classmate who's heard misinformation on TV. Sensitively told, Do You Even Know Me? offers a message of peace, empathy, and living into your beliefs. Read-alike: The Proudest Blue by Ibtihaj Muhammad.
Emergency Quarters
by Carlos Matias; illustrated by Gracey Zhang

Beginning with a note about the pre-cellular days of pay phones, this detail-rich peek into the past follows city kid Ernesto, proud to be a "niño grande" allowed to walk to school on his own. His mom gives him a daily quarter in case he needs to make an emergency call -- but with a bustling neighborhood full of tempting treats, how's a kid supposed to resist?
Mousetronaut: Based on a (Partially) True Story
by Mark E. Kelly

A small but plucky mouse named Mike is sure that he can help the Space Shuttle astronauts, and ends up saving the whole mission. Includes facts about NASA and space travel.
My Daddy Is a Cowboy
by Stephanie Seales; illustrated by C.G. Esperanza

A pre-dawn trip to the ranch means precious one-on-one time for a Panamanian American girl and her father. The sensory details of their ride through the nearby streets are captured in eye-popping, hyper-realistic colors and compositions that pulse with energy, creating a distinctive and indelible celebration of family.
Contact your librarian for more great books for ages 0-8!
Benicia Public Library
150 East L Street, Benicia, California 94510
(707) 746-4343

https://benicialibrary.org/